Stay on target

BBC is reportedly moving Doctor Who from its long-running Saturday spot to Sunday evenings.

According to British tabloid Daily Mirror, the next season will return this fall a full 24 hours later.

The move, according to an anonymous source, “could make perfect sense.”

After all, Saturday nights from September to December are often earmarked for the Strictly Come Dancing live broadcast. A Sunday showing, however, could interfere with Strictly‘s celebrity results spectacle.

“It is a serious option,” the on-set spy said.

The First Doctor debuted on a Saturday afternoon in 1963, and the 21st century revival has been the centerpiece of BBC One’s Saturday schedule for more than a decade.

But sagging ratings and a dwindling audience—pushed out by a late post-Strictly time slot—may force the Beeb to buck tradition this year.

“Chris [Chibnall] is taking Doctor Who apart to give it a revamp,” the Mirror‘s informer said. “The only thing viewers will immediately recognize are the sonic screwdriver, the TARDIS, and the theme tune.”

Well, that clears up a few things.

Still, BBC and new showrunner Chibnall are staying mum about all things Who.

It’s a mystery, though, exactly when they will hit the screen (rumor has it sometime this autumn), who will be joining them, or what sorts of plots, villains, and guests we can expect.

Suffering Time Lord withdrawal? Read about my visit to the (now-defunct) Doctor Who Experience, relive the action of series 10 (on Blu-ray or DVD), and pick out some great gifts from Gallifrey. An Adipose stress toy or K-9 talking plush doll ought to do the trick.

And remember: Never be cruel, never be cowardly, and never, ever eat pears.